比较肯尼迪就职演说词的两种中译文

A Critique of Two Versions of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address: A Comparative Approach

肯尼迪是现代史上著名的美国总统 ,他的就职演说词也是一篇倍受世人瞩目的重要的施政文献。张汉熙教授主编的《高级英语》就收进了这篇演说词 ,因此也为我国广大英语专业大学生所熟悉。正因为如此 ,该演说词的中译文应该尽量准确无误地传递原文的信息 ,充分保持其精神风貌 ,并让读者得到范文的文学艺术感受。肯尼迪就职演说词正式出版的中译文 ,笔者只见到过两种 ,分别刊载在北大石幼珊教授翻译的《名人演说一百篇》以及大家熟悉的《疯狂英语》里 (译者不详 )。笔者认真比较了这两种译文 ,发现里面各有不少误译和遣词造句不当之处。现遴选这两种译文的一些片段 ,加以比较和评论。

John F. Kennedy is a famous American President in modern history. His Inaugural Address is also an important political document that draws world wide attention. The speech, which is selected for intensive study in the college textbook Advanced English compiled by Professor Zhang Hanxi, is very familiar to Chinese college students with an English major. The Chinese translation of the Address should, therefore, also be a model text which best carries across the orator's message. The two versions of translation of Kennedy's Inaugural Address, which the writer of this article refers to, are carried respectively in A Hundred Famous Speeches translated by Professor Shi Youshan and in the popular monthly Crazy English by an anonymous author. After a detailed study of the two versions of translation, the writer has noticed that they leave much to be desired both in reading comprehension and in the choice of words which are discussed in the following article.